GEC makes FY2014 budget request

Guam - The Guam Election Commission went before lawmakers to present its Fiscal Year 2014 budget request of $1.1 million - a figure executive director Maria Pangelinan says is whopping 53% increase from last year's budget.

She explained the increase would cover the 2014 primary election along with the increase in precinct official pay from $170 to $350. She adds the budget would cover litigation, five temporary workers to help with customer service and new handi-capable voting booths.

What's not included in the budget request is funding for new equipment or tabulation machines. "The Guam Election Commission is still in the process of getting information of which ones are best suited for Guam. It's a little more complicated in that most election equipment are set up for population basis much higher than ours."

As we reported, Election Systems & Software have recommended that the GEC's current tabulation machines not be used. Pangelinan further added that the budget request does not reflect some new mandates required by the election reform such as the new reporting requirement for public officials who raise or spend more than $250.